"Yo, Shun."
Shun glanced up, swallowing the last morsel of his meal, and found Jaylen Shielram's bright smile greeting him.
"Hm?"
"Aren't you on an important mission? It's been several days. Are you sure you want to continue procrastinating the King's orders?" Jaylen inquired. Though his words were steady and rough, his tone retained the usual warmth and serenity.
Shun sighed, taking a sip of his coffee. "I already approached him once, but due to Noah Heeden's absence, we currently lack a means to travel."
"What about planes? Can't you utilize those instead?" Leon chimed in, descending the stairs, having overheard their conversation.
"The more pressing issue is: Where is Noah Heeden?" Cloudy interjected.
Shun shook his head repeatedly, unable to provide an answer to either question. However, given that another fourth complete ethereal warrior had not been reported or discovered, it was almost certain that Noah was safe. After all, concealing the presence of a complete ethereal warrior was crucial; such ethereal arms manifested with a radiant beam of light shooting directly into the heavens—impossible to overlook.
"Of course, with an ability like his, he could escape the worst of situations," Shun thought but kept these words to himself.
"I'm not sure what's happened to Noah, but… the King seems adamant against using planes for some reason. Perhaps he believes it's a waste of resources." Shun replied slowly. "The fuel required for flight isn't easy to procure."
Leon shook his head. "Shun, we're talking about the King right now. Lordrixis isn't as impoverished as you think. Even if it were, I'm certain there's enough fuel to fly one plane to Sila."
Shun shrugged silently, aware that Leon's argument held merit. Yet, he couldn't find a better explanation. Before he could speak, another voice interjected.
"Safety reasons, perhaps," Emilia Cylus joined the conversation. "If we were to be attacked midair, none of our abilities would help us survive the fall."
The others nodded, recalling Shun's description of the organization he needed to investigate, which possessed destructive and mysterious powers. It was unwise to take such risks—especially when the life of the ninth complete ethereal warrior hung in the balance.
Shun acknowledged Emilia's point. Right or wrong, her reasoning was sound, but something about her phrasing struck him as odd.
"We?"
Emilia froze, suddenly aware of her words. She turned to Shun with an awkward smile, unsure of how to proceed.
Shun's eyes widened in surprise. "Are you the assistant the King promised us?"
Silver chuckled softly, amused by Shun's exaggerated reaction.
"Not just me; every soldier trained to become a commander will be assisting," Emilia replied, her awkward smile shifting to one of greater composure. "The Premier General informed us of the details. I was just as surprised as you when I heard this."
Shun buried his face in his hands, shaking his head. "Why didn't you tell me beforehand?"
Emilia shrugged, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Surprises make life enjoyable, don't they?"
Shun turned to Silver, striving to maintain a straight face. "Silver, did you already know about this?"
Silver met his gaze with her innocent eyes, shaking her head.
"Silver, why are you never surprised by anything?" Shun pressed, sensing something peculiar about her demeanour. Her unwavering confidence and calmness in the face of surprises often made it seem as though she could predict the future.
"That couldn't be the case," Shun mused, recalling how unprepared she had been during the fight with Dominic O'Neill—the only time she hadn't worn her characteristic smile.
Silver shrugged. "It's probably just my personality. Regardless, as long as our duty is fulfilled, surprises don't frighten me."
Shun paused, tilting his head, but chose not to dwell on it further. Instead, he redirected his attention to Emilia.
"Did the Premier General share anything specific regarding the organization? And did he mention Alexander Levison?"
"Not much. He didn't possess extensive information; Sila isn't a particularly renowned city," Emilia replied casually. "All I was informed of is that this organization is a peculiar cult called 'The Unfinished,' and it seems to have garnered quite a reputation; rumours are already circulating in Haven."
"And regarding Alexander Levison… isn't he the individual we're supposed to assist?" Emilia looked at Shun with a hint of confusion.
Shun nodded, signalling that it was nothing. It seemed Emilia and her companions were unaware of the true intentions behind this mission; that burden lay solely with him and Silver.
…
City of Sila, Lordrixis
The city of Sila, despite its geographical proximity to the Royal Capital, held little significance within the kingdom. A small yet peaceful settlement, it had been awarded to the winner of the 62nd Interacademy Ethereal Combat Tournament. Yet, the tranquillity that once reigned had dissipated.
From his vantage point in the castle, Alexander Levison surveyed the city below. He was a strikingly handsome man, and every gesture he made exuded elegance and nobility. However, sorrow and disappointment clouded his eyes—no one understood the true state of this city better than he did.
What he had reported to the King was far from the reality on the ground. Although the surface appeared as he had described in his letters, he knew the city had essentially fallen into the grasp of The Unfinished. The mayor was powerless against the organization's overwhelming influence—or perhaps he had simply chosen not to resist. Years of glory, peace, and comfort had dulled his spirit as a champion; he was now merely a shell of a warrior.
Yet, curiously, The Unfinished had not laid a hand on him. To Alexander, this felt less like a relief and more like an ill omen.
With a flick of his fingers, a radiant blue orb materialized in his palm. His ethereal arm, though classified as a mere instrument class, proved quite useful. The Orb of Clarity diminished emotions, allowing its holder to process thoughts with pure logic.
Lost in contemplation, Alexander was interrupted by the gentle creak of the door behind him. A well-dressed, handsome servant entered—Eden Pyram, who had served Alexander since before he was appointed as Prime Advisor. In truth, they had been close friends since childhood.
"Eden, what brings you here?" Alexander turned, donning a peculiar, gentle smile that masked his earlier worry and doubt. The orb had vanished from sight.
"The assistance from the King has yet to arrive," Eden sighed, his voice deep yet oddly gentle.
Alexander shook his head, a resigned smile on his face. "It's all right. I'm accustomed to handling things on my own. I climbed to this position alone, and descending won't be much different."
"Don't burden yourself too much, my lord," Eden replied, a glimmer of something deeper in his eyes. "You are not alone, you can always rely on me."
Alexander chuckled softly.